Hayward Regional Shoreline
Fri, 19 May 2000 11:19:46 PDT
From: Bob Richmond
Today I was working on San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's colonial bird survey at Hayward Regional Shoreline. In the fenced-off ponds, I saw 5 pairs of Black Skimmers, the Arctic Tern, a Black Tern, a Caspian Tern on a nest, along with hundreds of Forster's Terns. All of the skimmers were on islands in the pond closest to the public trail and all could be seen from the trail. The Arctic Tern is paired with a Forster's Tern, both were working on a new nest that is 2 to 2.5 feet from last year's nest. This new nest probably is not visible from the public trail.
Good birding
Bob
Birders in El Sobrante / San Pablo?
Fri, 19 May 2000 13:41:35 -0700
From: Shannah Anderson
Hi There--
I am seeking a bird-intrigued volunteer to lead observation and/or monitoring walks in the El Sobrante area on a limited basis. Someone with interest or knowledge of riparian species would be especially helpful. Please let me know if you or someone you know might be interested!
Thanks for the consideration,
Shannah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shannah Anderson
Aquatic Outreach Institute
1327 S. 46th Street #155
Richmond, CA 94804
(510) 231-5704
http://www.aoinstitute.org/
Great-tailed Grackle news
Sat, 20 May 2000 15:37:51 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello all,
More news about Great-tailed Grackle in Contra Costa County. Terri Wills told me that she had a pair at the south end of McNabney Marsh near Mountain View Sanitary District on 5 May. Robert Thomas, the finder of the pair at the north end, also reported that on 19 May there was a singing male Great-tailed Grackle at the Martinez Regional Shoreline between the parking lot at the end of the road and the duck pond. This is the site of the first county record in January of 1985, found by Bob Richmond.
I have a feeling we are on the brink of this bird being routine. I leave it up to you to decide whether or not that would be desirable.
Steve Glover
Dublin, CA
Eastern Contra Costa County surprises
Sat, 20 May 2000 15:52:00 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello everyone,
The past two days I have been in eastern Contra Costa County and have had a few surprises. I will save the most surprising for last.
Yesterday, 19 May, I was on a survey of some property east of the Antioch Bridge and had at least two pairs of Yellow-breasted Chats. I am not aware of them breeding anywhere in the county other than Piper Slough so this is significant.
Today I took Mount Diablo Audubon Society out to Piper Slough (Bethel Island) and Iron House Sanitary District (Oakley).
At Piper Slough we had all of the usual specialities: 5 or 6 singing chats, Blue Grosbeak, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Hooded Oriole. There was a sprinkling of migrants including several Western Tanagers, 4+ Western Wood-Pewees, a Willow Flycatcher, 3 Swainson's Thrushes, one Townsend's Warbler, several each of Wilson's and Yellow Warblers, and 4 flocks of waxwing working their way north. A California Quail was of note as the population there seems to die out and then repopulate. Also of note was a female Anna's Hummingbird gathering nest material. I rarely record Anna's there and did not suspect nesting. Oh yes, 36 White-faced Ibis were seen flying south.
From there we went to Iron House where the temperature soared to well over 90. Migrants seemed to be non-existent but the heat could have had something to do with that. The best birding was around the picnic area about 0.75 mile from the trailhead on Jordan St. In the flooded area by the picnic area were 1 Red-necked and 5 Wilson's Phalarope and 62 White-faced Ibis. Flocks of 9 and then 50 American White Pelicans flew overhead working south and an Osprey flew east. Several Black Rails called from the nearby marsh, some giving the familiar ki-ki-kerr calls but occasionally giving calls that resembled a duller, less strident ki-kerr and upon our clapping a more chattering, twittering noise. I have no idea what these noises meant, if anything significant. The highlight was a great shocker for me, a bird not rare for the state or even the county but certainly for the Delta: A flock of 8 Brant on the water to the north of the picnic area. I don't know the exact status of Brant in the Central Valley but they are certainly quite rare and these are certainly the first for eastern Contra Costa.
Hope everyone is doing well, try to stay cool.
Steve Glover
Dublin, CA